Conventional networks typically include data communications devices that transmit data packets from one or more sources to one or more destinations. Certain data communications devices, such as routers, receive packets containing data and control information at input ports, and, based on destination or other information included in the packets, route the packets to appropriate output ports that lead to either another router or to the packet's final destination.
Conventional routers are designed for use within environmentally controlled locations. For example, low capacity routers are typically used in home networks to route data among personal computers. High-performance routers, commonly used within enterprises such as telecommunication companies and Internet service providers, provide relatively high bandwidth packet routing and can process packets for many thousands of different end users. In either case, the routers operate indoors under conditions of substantially controlled temperature and controlled humidity which helps to maintain the operability of the devices.
Additionally, conventional routers typically include certain cooling mechanisms, such as fan assemblies, that remove heat from the router's circuit boards and circuit board components via convection. The fan assemblies help to maintain the temperature of the router's components below a particular threshold to maintain the router's operability during use.